Scooby Doo and the Beast of Barghest
by Bexi
Summary: A midnight walk for Scooby and Velma leads them into the jaws of the Beast and the image of burning eyes is etched deep into their minds. Another mystery for the gang, it seems. "What ever happened to the time monsters were fake?"
1. Part I

**Scooby Doo and the Beast of Barghest**

**Part I**

"Maybe we shouldn't go," said a soft voice filled with worry and concern. The owner of said voice placed her purple handbag on the table and pushed her fiery locks behind her shoulders, delivering a sidelong glance to the person on her left, who nodded, arms crossed.

"I'm in agreement with Daphne on this one," he said. "And I'm sure Shaggy agrees too. Right, Shag?"

"Like, yeh. Freddie and Daph are right, Velma," Shaggy agreed, thrusting his hands in the pockets of his brown bellbottom pants. "We can't just abandon you like this."

Velma laughed lightly as she looked at each member of Mystery Inc., surveying them carefully. She fidgeted on the plush sofa, feeling slightly uncomfortable under the watchful gazes. Did they really have to tower over her as she sat down? She felt like a small child awaiting punishment from her parents.

"I hardly call this abandonment, Shaggy."

"Then, like, what is this?"

Velma adjusted her glasses as she pushed herself off the sofa, as if the added height would make everything alright. "You guys are all over exaggerating here," she stated. "If none of us show at all, then we are all letting Sharon down."

"You're her friend too, Velma," Daphne pointed out poignantly.

"I also happen to be under twenty-one," Velma retorted nonchalantly.

Fred looked around, trying to formulate a plan inside his head. Their old school friend, Sharon Weatherby, had invited them all to her twenty-first birthday at a new club her brother owned. Naturally, Mystery Inc. agreed, always eager to help and appease friends. However, it was only recently brought to their attention that the club held a strict 'Over Twenty-One Only' policy. That would not have been a problem if their youngest member wasn't just twenty years old. They had spent so many years together that age was never a problem – until now.

"Sharon will understand," he said listlessly.

"Surely there must be a way we can get around this," Daphne sighed, throwing herself down onto the sofa, running a hand through her hair. "Maybe they could make an acceptation regarding your age, Velma."

The brunette shook her head softly. "No. There are fixed penalties, Daphne. If the authorities get wind of the fact that the club owner allowed underage individuals inside, they could face closure, the loss of their licence or receive an extremely hefty fine. It really isn't worth it, in my opinion."

Shaggy scratched his goatee, grinning. "Like, maybe we can sneak you in!"

"I don't think so, Shaggy. You can't just throw a disguise on me, call me Grandma, and expect to get away with it," she laughed heartedly.

"Like, it worked for Scooby. Right, old buddy, old pal?" he chuckled sheepishly, running a hand through his unkempt hair.

The Great Dane's ears picked up at the mention of his name. Slowly, he stood up and stretched, thrusting his rear end in the end as he yawned before walking over to the others. He sat down heavily and used his paw to scratch behind his left ear, ridding himself of the insufferable itch that had been plaguing him through his glorious nap.

"Rah ha," he agreed, giggling at the memory of that fateful plane ride.

"How anyone fell for that is beyond me," Daphne sniggered, lightly kicking Fred with her leg.

The blond haired man scratched his head, awkwardly laughing off the memory. "Knock it off, Daph. You know, as well as I, that we were all going through a rough patch back then."

Velma stifled her laugher as she observed the playful banter between Fred and Daphne. While it was true that the meeting on Spooky Island was awkward at best, their friendship was rekindled and Mystery Inc. has never been stronger. Each member had managed to overcome the fears that plagued them throughout the earlier days, which was a blessing. Daphne overcame her frustrations of being the constant 'Damsel in Distress', however, the curse of the Blake's still resided deep within her, much to her dismay. Fred managed to take a step back from the limelight as he witnessed the extent that his actions had on the gang. He also realised that his book 'Fred on Fred: The Many Faces of Me' was an imminent flop and immediately requested that printing was ceased and all remaining copies be destroyed, not wanting to have any reminders of the time he nearly ruined the greatest friendships of his life. As for Velma herself, there would always be a part of her that lacked the self-esteem she so truly desired but she now realised that she could be herself within the group, without being judged. She also realised that group therapy was not an option for her and that whoever crafted the idea was clinically insane.

"So, like, what are we gonna do?" Shaggy asked, sitting on the ground next to Scooby, softly stroking behind his left ear.

Silence filled the air until Daphne finally spoke up. "Why don't we take a vote?"

"Great idea, Daph!" Fred spoke up. "Who here votes we should stay?"

Three hands rose.

"Who votes we should go?"

One hand rose.

Fred took a seat next to Daphne, smiling softly as he brushed out the invisible creases from his pants. "That decides it then – we stay!"

Velma crossed her arms and slowly began to pace back and forth. "I'm afraid I don't acquiesce to your preference in decision making this time, Freddie. It really doesn't bother me if you go – in fact, I'd prefer it! You all know, as well as I, that it isn't really my 'scene'," she finished, flexing the index and middle fingers of each hand to emphasise her point. "Besides, I can keep Scooby company – unless you were planning on sneaking him in too," Velma sniggered, directing the latter comment towards Shaggy.

The lanky man laughed as he looked to his canine friend. "Well, I was planning on dressing him up as an Egyptian hobo and calling him Cliff. But, if you, like, insist on staying behind, Velms, then I'm insisting that Scoob stays too."

Scooby looked up at Shaggy, his expression showing how despondent he was with the decision. Despite how cowardly he was at times, he didn't like to be left out of anything either.

"Like, don't be like that, Scooby," Shaggy pleaded. "You need to be here to keep Velma safe. You wouldn't want something bad to happen to her, would you?"

"Ro way!" he replied, roughly shaking his head from side to side. The thought of anything happening to any of his friends made him was enough to make him upset.

Shaggy smiled. "I need you to promise me you'll look after her."

Scooby nodded, standing on his hind legs. "I ross my reart and rope to rie, stick a reedle in my rye!" he said confidently, using his paw to emphasis the promise.

"Like, groovy! I knew I could count on you, Scooby Doo," Shaggy grinned, absently throwing a Scooby Snax to the dog, who caught it in expertly his mouth.

"Then I guess it's settled then," Fred exclaimed, pushing himself up from the sofa before offering a hand to Daphne.

"Yep, I guess it is," she replied, taking Fred's hand, her lips curling into a small smile.

Velma had watched in silence but decided now would be the perfect time to voice her opinions. "You say it as if I need a babysitter, Shaggy," she said, eyes alight with amusement.

Shaggy stood up, placing his hands steadily on his hips. "Like, don't be like that, Velma. You need to be here to keep Scooby safe," he grinned joyously, an amused glint in his eye that caused his entire face to light up.

Velma laughed. "Shaggy, you goofball!"

Daphne watched carefully. Trust Shaggy to be able to resolve the problem, she laughed to herself. His carefree nature always had some sort of calming effect on the group. Throw Scooby Doo into the mix and the gang have their own personal stress relief remedy. This was the perfect example. Velma's stubbornness was enough to make Daphne want to, at times; shake her by the shoulders to get some sense into her. Luckily, this didn't happen very often. Velma was like the younger sister Daphne always wanted. Granted, Velma wasn't as willing to be a dress-up doll as she or her dolls were. When Daphne was younger, she was used as a dress-up doll for Dawn, a doctor's patient for Daisy, a young cadet for Delilah and a hair model for Dorothy, who later realised that hairdressing wasn't meant to be. So, naturally, Velma's reluctance to partake in any of the activities confused Daphne to no end. Velma gave her the explanation that as an older sibling herself, younger sisters were not used as such. To which Daphne retorted that as the eldest sibling in the family, Velma wasn't aware of the laws of younger siblings because she was never one. The logic was sound, much to the amusement of the two male members.

"Everyone ready?" Fred asked, digging into his pockets to retrieve the Mystery Machine keys.

Daphne nodded as she opened her bag to retrieve the hairbrush, lightly dragging it through her silken tresses. "I'm ready," she replied.

"Now, remember, Velma..." Fred began.

"Don't open the door to strangers?" she retorted.

"True. However, can you record '_The Ten Greatest Traps of Our Time'_?"

"We'll see," she teased, knowing how much the blond wanted to see the program. It apparently featured one of his trapped used during their earlier days.

"Cool."

Velma watched as the others slowly gathered their things before making their way to the main door. It was almost as if they were stalling because she was certain that Daphne really did not need to reapply her make-up and change her hairstyle. She would have changed her entire outfit had Velma not pushed her to the door, exclaiming that they were going to be late and that it wouldn't look good on any of them.

Ten minutes later, the air was quiet. The sounds that the Mystery Machine made were out of earshot and Velma heaved a light sigh of relief. She smiled as she looked down at the Great Dane, who was eating his fill of Scooby Deluxe Sandwiches.

"Well, I don't know about you, Scooby," she began, "but I plan on spending the night reading my novel. As much as I love solving mysteries, it's always refreshing to read about others cracking the codes."

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Author's Note**: Just in case you didn't know, this takes place shortly after the second live action movie. I also makes references to most of the Scooby Doo series, because I love most of them and i always squee with joy when I discover something new about my favourite character XD. Also, I'm trying hard to work with Freddie ... trying to combine most of his personalities into one because I did not like how he was portrayed in the movies. Maybe it was just me, but I never saw him as a self-centred, arrogant jerk ... i also don't see him as a bumbling idiot who has the IQ of a gnat and some odd fixation with traps. Granted, I believe they play a good part in his life and he is a strategical individual who likes to plan these things ... but obsessed? No thanks. lol. I'm hoping I've done ok with the other characters. Velma - I'm hoping I make her seem like her extremely intelligent self. Daphne - I hope I make her out to be a caring member who isn't just there for eye-candy and to be captured. Shaggy & Scoob - I just hope I do these two justice lol.

If they're wrong, lemme know and I can make changes. Scooby Doo played a large part in my childhood and I don't want to tarnish the memory lol.

Hope you enjoy - this idea just refused to leave me alone!


	2. Part II

**Scooby Doo and the Beast of Barghest**

**Part II**

Velma watched quietly as a rugged man was forced into the back of brightly coloured police car, the blue lights flashing fiercely on top of the roof, causing the dull, wet cobbles to illuminate wildly. He yelled loudly, trying with all his might to escape, however, the metal handcuffs around his wrists were proof of his mistakes. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, he stopped thrashing and looked out the side window, directly meeting Velma's gaze. She nearly recoiled at the dead glint in his eyes, which was nothing like the savage expression he wore only minutes ago. His eyes were mad with rage, his sinister and callous features distorted with malice and his yellowed teeth clamped tenaciously around an unlit cigarette. His once white overalls were encrusted in grime, dried paint and smears of blood, still fresh and warm.

Velma subconsciously acknowledged the neighbours congregating in front of their homes, voices raised with worry, concern and wonder as they watched the man who they had trusted for many decades being manhandled by the law enforcements. Their eyes were all glued to the ground, or rather the battered and bloodied body of a young girl who lay lifeless underneath the white sheet, her dark blood flowing freely into a nearby drain. They were all sick to their stomachs once they learned of what the manic butcher had been doing for the past ten years. The Cheshire Ripper is what they had named him, after the odd similarities between these murders and those of the infamous Jack the Ripper. All were young prostitutes found with their throats cut; however, all these girls had their wombs removed and nipples cut off. Each murder was the same, with the acceptation of the stabbing of a middle aged woman, which, they assumed, was used as a method to throw the authorities off the correct track. Finally, after years of unsuccessful arrests and dead ends, the police struck gold after finding a vital clue, a simple mistake the Cheshire Ripper made. A last minute escape from the police threw him into a mad frenzy. He ran; savagely thrusting a knife into the abdomen of a woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, before he was finally apprehended.

The streets were finally safe once again...

Closing the book softly, Velma exhaled a sigh of relief. The novel was one of the grittier books she liked to read, filled with murder, lies and deception. She even found herself cringing while she read certain paragraphs, especially the intricate detail of the womb removal.

"Relma! Relma!" Scooby yelled as he walked over to where she was seated.

The bespectacled girl looked over to Scooby, smiling gently. "What's wrong, Scooby?"

"It's releven!" he said excitedly, his tail wagging quickly from side to side.

Velma looked over to the clock, amazed that it was that late already. "Jinkies! You're right, Scooby. I guess time flies when you're reading a good book."

Regardless of what they were doing, as soon as it was eleven o'clock, Shaggy and Scooby would go out for the last walk of the night. Every so often Velma, herself, would accompany them ... even Fred and Daphne had gone with them at some point. It was like an adventure within itself. This had become somewhat of a tradition at the Mystery Inc. Headquarters and Velma had no intention of breaking it tonight.

Velma pushed herself off the sofa before walking to the bookcase and carefully sliding her novel into the correct section. She skimmed her fingers lightly over the spines of the books, old and new, quickly surveying the case to see if everything was in order. It had taken a while, but Velma had finally managed to condition her friends into putting all the borrowed books into alphabetical order of the authors' surnames. It was amazing how little things can change when people begin living together.

A smile graced her features as Velma looked around the large room, the memory still fresh in her mind of a time when Daphne excitedly depicted what she wanted to do with each room and which colours would work best. Velma had no qualms in letting Daphne plan the decorations, in fact, she encouraged it. Daphne always had an aptitude for this sort of thing and it would be a shame for such a talent to be overlooked. The fiery-haired woman was in her element for days, bringing back things for the Headquarters in her attempts to make it homely, the smile never leaving her face. She insisted on it being a surprise for the whole gang, wanting to see the looks on everyone's faces when they saw their new home for the first time.

Velma remembered it as if happened only yesterday. Daphne bounced back and forth on the balls of her heels, the excitement clearly evident in her voice as she told everyone to remove their hands from their eyes. The room was spectacular to say in the least. The panelled green walls were adorned with various pieces of modern day art. The plants that hung from the walls sprouted with life, the multitude of blossoms were an array of wonderful colours. The rich blue sofa semi circled the matching spherical rug, which was patterned with Mystery Incorporated's white insignia. The walk-in kitchen was lavished in vibrant yellows; all the appliances were hidden in plain sight, the cupboards and fridge fully loaded with delicious foods, which Scooby and Shaggy were already in the process of devouring. The purple carpeted stairs lead them to the upper floor, which is where each of their rooms were located. However, before Velma had the chance to explore the upper levels, Daphne grabbed her hands. She quickly snatched the glasses from the other girl's face and informed her that she had a surprise for her as she guided her across the room. On the surface Velma was calm and collected, however, inside she was a mass of tangled emotions. One of her biggest fears since childhood, aside from being severely coulrophobic, was being helpless because of her poor vision. While her friends sometimes found it amusing when she lost her glasses, causing her to fall to the ground in a feeble attempt to find them, she found it terrifying that she could barely see a couple of inches in front her eyes before everything became nothing but a blur. A frightening prospect indeed.

"We're here!" Daphne exclaimed as she gently handed Velma back her glasses. She silently gave a weak sigh at the relief of having her sight back. Just as she was about to ask Daphne what this was about, she took in her surroundings. The walls were a magnificent shade of blue and the ground was the most exuberant orange she had ever laid eyes upon. The centrepiece was a circular work surface made from exquisite golden oak, complete with matching computer chairs. Adorning the desk were some of the most up-to-date technology. She recognised each piece, able to give a detailed description of what the properties were. This was equipment she had only dreamed of being able to see, let alone use. She was speechless, which was a rarity.

Daphne picked up on this and laughed gently. "I knew you'd love it!"

Velma had to laugh at the memory. Daphne had done an excellent job with their Headquarters, merging everyone's personalities and turning them into something liveable.

"Shall we go then, Scooby?" she asked, looking over to the dog, who was sitting patiently next to the door.

She laughed as she gathered her things. She took Scooby's lead and hooked it onto her skirt, letting it hang down. There was never a need for it but she didn't want to accidently run into the wrong people and have to explain why she had no lead for Scooby. It would just be an unnecessary hassle that she did not need.

Scooby, by this time, was already out of the door in a flurry of brown fur.

Velma patted pockets to make sure she had the keys and her constant pocket full of Scooby Snax. "I never thought I'd ever have to keep a handful of dog treats in my pocket," she laughed, walking out the door and locking it behind her. "Wait for me, Scooby Doo!" she shouted.

**To Be Continued...**

**Author's Note: **A short chapter, which was mainly for description purposes. However, considering it was semi from Velma's pov, I felt it was necessary. I also wanted to make Scooby more dog-like and show that the kids are responsible owners.

Anyway. I loved writing this and I hope you enjoy it.


	3. Part III

**Scooby Doo and the Beast of Barghest**

**Part III**

A gentle wind blew through the midnight sky, her soft hands tenderly brushing past the thick branches and softly caressing the leaves on the trees. The whistling sound blended in with other noises as cars swept past and people leisurely strolled by. Currently, however, the streets were deserted and no-one other than a large Great Dane and the young woman walking with him.

"Wow, it's a superb night for a walk," Velma commended as she took in her surroundings. The air was sweet and fresh with the myriad scents of the summer flora, which tickled Velma's senses, and the land was alive with nocturnal creatures that scurried and played at night. It reminded Velma of a time when she had stayed awake all night watching the darkness, fascinated how it differentiated from the day. She sat; nose pressed against the window, and took in everything she saw. Creatures she had only seen in books or zoos wandered through the gardens, bringing a large smile to her face and causing her eyes to light with joy. A loud hooting sound brought her attention to the largest tree in the garden. The thick trunk was a placid shade of grey and the bark had intertwined, imbricated and eroded away over the vast number of years in stood tall. To the keen eyes of a child, the gnarled twists and turns seemed to mirror those of an elderly face. In the dead of the night, the features appeared haunting and disturbing, but Velma had never been easily scared as a child liked to believe there was some great mystery behind its grizzly appearance. The hooting persisted and Velma was staring into the large saucer-like eyes of a large brown owl, its feathers ruffling with every sound it made. She laughed softly and was about to imitate the sound when the door was slowly pressed open and the face of her father appeared.

"What are you still doing up, Velma? You might wake your sister," he said softly, gently scolding her for still being awake. He also did not want the risk of Madelyn waking. Unlike Velma, Madelyn had the tendency to cry and refused to sleep at night.

The young child turned and pointed in the direction of the owl. "Watching," she said.

Dale Dinkley slowly pressed the door open and padded carefully across the blackened room towards his eldest daughter, his rectangular glasses reflecting the natural moonlight and covering his curious expression. He passed the wooden crib and listened to the soft noises his youngest child made, her small breaths like a soothing lullaby to his overly worked mind. "Now, what are you watching, Velma?" he asked as he pulled the blanket around the sleeping baby's form.

Velma turned her head to the window and pointed. "Him," she whispered.

Dale smiled as he sat down next to his daughter, wrapping a protective arm around her and lightly stroking her hair. "Ah, old Grandfather Owl," he chuckled.

"H'lo, Granfather Owl," the bespectacled girl smiled, waving enthusiastically at the feathered creature that was perched gracefully on the mangled tree.

"He perches himself comfortably on that old tree every night and preens his magnificent feathers, all the while using his keen eyes to scour the precincts for food. Grandpappy Dinkley used to tell of a wonderful story about that very owl and the old tree you see outside. Would you like to hear it, Velma?" he asked her, softly manoeuvring them both so she was sat comfortably on his lap.

In all three years of him being a parent, Dale had never used what had been excitingly dubbed as 'baby talk' when he spoke to his children, neither had his wife. Both parents abhorred this method, believing that it was a simplistic form of speech that did not aid in the developmental growth of children. He did not see the rationally behind using incorrect sentence structure to teach his daughters. Velma, now three years of age, was speaking clearly and had such a thirst for knowledge that she constantly kept both parents on their toes by asking "what's this, that and the other".

"They used to say," he began, "that an old school master lived in this very house many hundreds of years ago. He was strict with his students but possessed a kind heart and was loved by many. Once he retired from teaching, he used to sit in the garden and tell wonderful stories to the children. He would spend hours speaking of the adventures and exploits of his characters, using such magnificent imagery and wondrous narration to drew you deep into his stories. Two characters that were always present were Grandfather Owl and the mangled elderly tree you see outside. He spoke of the compelling friendship between both, claiming that the tree held mystical powers and was able to communicate with Grandfather Owl through the wind.

"Children would come from near and far, just to hear the tales of the old school master. It was even said that he had once graced royalty with his fine words.

"Over the passage of time, he became frail and weak. His health began to diminish, forcing him to take prolonged bouts of bed rest. Once the villagers got wind of this, they congregated around his bedside and wept as they felt his life force leaving his body. As his spirit left his body, he told of one last story. He told of how his body would become one with the earth and his spirit would become one with the animals. No one knew the meaning of these words at the time, believing them to be nothing more than the fading words of an old man.

"The next day, when the villagers all came the give their well wishes to him, they were shocked to find his bed empty. They searched all over for him but to no avail. He had gone. Once the village was informed, everyone gathered around the elderly tree to pay their respects and were stunned to see a magnificent brown owl perched on one of the branches. His features were the exact same as those in the story, even down to the thick patch of white, billowy plumes that covered his chest.

"He had been reborn in the form of Grandfather Owl, Velma, and it is said that his hooting is him sharing his stories to the flora and fauna around him, which he continues to do, even to this very day."

Once he concluded the story, Dale gathered Velma into his arms and carried her back to her bed. She had stayed silent throughout the tale, taking in every detail and processing it inside her mind. Her tired eyes were alight with joy as she fought to stay awake, wanting to hear more.

"Time to sleep now, Velma," he whispered, a small smile creasing his features. He gently tucked her in and delivered a soft kiss to her forehead before removing her glasses and placing them on the bedside table. "Go to sleep," he told her before leaving the room, taking a moment to watch both daughters before closing the door with a large smile on his face.

Velma laughed heartedly at the memory of that story her father told her, which she had shared with her sister when the time came. It was such a simple story that remained with her throughout her life thus far.

"Scooby, I think we should be headed back now," she said loudly, watching the dog excitedly changing a moth that fluttered widely around a lantern.

The brunette turned to look down from the cliff side they were at, rubbing her hands swiftly together in a vain attempt at warming them up. Drawing them to her face, she softly blew into them, savouring the brief warmth. Next time, she decided, she would wear a coat and gloves to save her the torment of becoming a human icicle. Stifling a yawn, Velma stared out into the vast moor land, darkened with thick clumps of heather and small trees that eerily mimicked the shapes of skeletal hands. Looking further past, she saw the endless forest, which seemed nothing more than a dark blanket thrown carelessly at the end of the field, trapping anyone who dared enter its claustrophobic confines.

A shiver ran down her, as if the coldness had penetrated her skin and stroked her spine with its frosty fingers. She took a breath, unaware that she was even holding it, and tried to will the sudden eerie sensation away.

"Scooby, let's go," she called out.

She turned on her heel quickly, eager to go home, when she felt an odd feeling beneath her feet. The ground moved so quickly – too quickly. She panicked, crying out, gripping onto the ledge as hard as she could, trying to pull herself back to safety, but she could feel the dirt beneath her fingernails as the earth crumpled little by little. She heard Scooby come closer, the panic within his voice clearly evident. He whined, slowly padding to the edge and tried to help Velma. She feared it wouldn't take her weight as she desperately tried to better her grip. Dirt crumbled from the ledge and fell to her face, making this one of the few times she was grateful to her glasses for protecting her eyes from the falling debris. Scooby lowered himself, firmly locking his jaws around the bulky collar of her jumper, which began to tear under the strain. She kicked her feet deeply into the dirt, hoping to use it as a step to freedom as she was able to push herself up by a couple of centimetres. She could feel Scooby's teeth grazing her neck as he desperately tried to pull her up, biting her lip as he nipped her skin sharply. She looked into Scooby's eyes, pained by his expression and the watery tears that spilled from them.

She yelled out, hoping to tell him to go for help, when she felt the remainder of the ledge collapse under her weight. She was falling fast, straight down. Scooby had lost his grip, falling too. Hearing his cry brought tears to her eyes, or was it due to the air being forced into them? Either way, she screamed loudly, closing her eyes, waiting for the inevitable.

* * *

Lights flashed wildly. Music pumped loudly. People were gathered together in separated spaces to either dance or talk fondly to one another. The bar was busy, full of young adults wanting drink orders and staff who wanted nothing more than to please the customers. Everyone was having a fun time.

"Like, how can I have fun if Velma and Scooby aren't here?" Shaggy said to himself as he devoured his tenth packet of peanuts. He leaned forward; resting his elbows on the bar as he expertly twisted the bag into a knot and added it to the ever growing pile. "It's like sacrilegious, or something!"

He sighed as he twisted his head around to look at Daphne and Fred, dancing happily in the centre of the stage, oblivious to the internal pain that was coursing through Shaggy's veins. They might be able to enjoy themselves knowing that Velma and Scooby were most likely miserable at home, but he refused.

Daphne tightened her grip on Fred's hand as they swayed in perfect time to the music. Their bodies moved in sync with one another, performing a dance they had mastered when they were both teenagers. She looked around at the happy faces of familiar faces. Most of these people were her school friends, or people she had seen around the school. They all knew her name though, it was hard not to considering she was one of the most popular girls in school. Everyone had come over, spoken with her and Fred, laughed and then asked the same thing:

"Where's Velma? You guys are always together. Did something happen?"

Obviously, they were so used to Velma being in their class that they, too, had forgotten that she was a year younger and not old enough to enter the club. She was half tempted to make up a ridiculous excuse as to her absence, such as:

"She's caught a virus and is too sick to come."

"She's off in New Zeeland, scaling mountings."

"Jeepers! The Creeper got her!"

Alas, she spoke the truth – Velma would never forgive her if she made up for silly reason.

"Freddie, I'm not having fun," she finally admitted, looking into his dark blue eyes, full of understanding.

"I know how you feel, Daph," Fred sighed, bringing Daphne closer to him. The nagging feeling continued to gnaw at his subconscious during the drive to the club, which had been eerily quiet. He hadn't wanted to leave Velma alone in the first place, so why had he agreed? "Do you want to leave?" he enquired.

Daphne nodded. "Would Shaggy mind?"

Fred stared at her, unsure whether she was being serious or not. "Daph, look at him!" he said, pointing in the direction of Shaggy, who was slumped lifeless over the bar. "He could get homeless people to feel sorry for him like that," he laughed.

The redhead smiled and rushed over to her lanky friend. She tapped him on the shoulder and grimaced at the hollow expression he wore. "We're going, Shaggy."

Shaggy looked from Daphne to Fred, carefully observing their expressions and features to see how they were feeling about this. "Like, really?" he said, trying not to sound too eager at the prospect of leaving.

Fred nodded, thrusting his hands inside the pockets of his blue pants. "Yeah, Shag. Susan will understand – we shouldn't have left Velma and Scooby behind like we did."

Shaggy's face broke out into a huge smile. "Like, great, man!"

Daphne laughed as she took Fred's hand within her own, walking slowly to the Mystery Machine, where Shaggy had already taken the driver's seat and was honking the horn impatiently. How he had managed to get the keys was a mystery to Fred, who had them safely in his pockets.

**To Be Continued...**


	4. Part IV

**Scooby Doo and the Beast of Barghest**

**Part IV**

Opening his eyes, Scooby whined as he tried desperately to shake off the dull throbbing that coursed through his hind legs and lower back. He slowly pulled his front paws towards himself but immediately panicked when he began to wobble; losing his balance on the tree he had landed on. Deciding to take a different approach, with great precision, Scooby lifted himself up, thrusting his rear end in the air as he brought his hind legs closer to the centre. Once he was certain his claws were protracted and dug into the wood, he repeated the action with his front paws. Now fully balanced in the centre of the tree, Scooby meticulously leapt onto the ground, relieved to feel firm earth beneath his paws once again.

Scooby shook his glossy coat free from dirt and shrivelled twigs before standing erect and sniffing the air scrupulously. Immediately, a multitude of scents overcame his scenes, however, the only scent he searched for was sweet and comforting. Velma, to Scooby, always had this distinct sweet smell about her, which was very different to Daphne's sweet floral scent. Velma reminded him of candied apples, cinnamon cookies and crisp cleanliness. The poor girl had no idea how she smelt until Shaggy abstractedly mentioned it aloud, which amused Scooby to no end, much to Velma's despair. The lanky man had been slumped behind Velma, resting his chin on her shoulder as he read the latest clue she was working on. Rather bored, Shaggy took a vast breath before uttering the words that would be forever etched deep into Velma's mind: "Like, Vel, don't take this the wrong way ... but you smell really good. At first I thought I was so hungry I was imagining all these sweet smells - but it's you. Like, isn't that mondo weirdo?" he had laughed, oblivious to the rigidness of her shoulders and the blush that overspread her face. Needless to say, the brunette swiftly excused herself from table with an awkward laugh and an explanation that she had overdue books in need of returning.

Finally locating the scent, Scooby set off swiftly in the right direction, jumping over fallen logs and darting through thick shrubbery, stopping only to scoop up Velma's broken glasses. He was vigilant to his surroundings as he journeyed through the wooded area, appreciative to the lack of dangerous animals. It would do neither Velma nor he any good if they found themselves in such a predicament.

Scooby skidded to an immediate stop upon finding Velma unconscious on the ground. Her short hair was a tangled mass of debris, her clothes dishevelled and her right shin was torn, bleeding. He whimpered as he nudged her with his snout.

"Relma. Relma, rake up," he whined, nudging her again before sweeping his tongue across her face. "Relma..."

Scooby whimpered forlornly, his warm eyes set painfully on the prone form of his friend. He was perfectly aware that, as a human, Velma, was not as spry on her feet as he. Also, while he was able to shake off such a fall, Velma could not.

"Scooby, you know I don't like it when you wake me," the woman murmured, her voice shallow and fatigued.

"Relma, get up," Scooby tried again, desperation filled his voice. He nudged her once more, albeit harder. He did not want to face the risk of leaving her unconscious should he leave to find help.

Velma's eye slowly fluttered open, a dark haze shrouding her vision before Scooby's face slowly came into focus. "Scooby?" she asked, perplexed.

Relief coursed through him, leaving him feeling jubilant, as if he had just been awarded with a lifetime supply of Scooby Snax from Wonderdog himself. He leapt at Velma, lapping her face wildly.

"Scooby," she laughed, "get off."

Vivid images flashed through her mind. Her heart had been pounding so hard it hurt to breath as the air lashed viciously at her face. Panic flew up in of her, a terrified sensation; which was overrun the searing of agonising pain. Her back burned and her legs seared in pain as she collided with the ground, the air agonizingly forced out for her lungs. Darkness had then shrouded her mind and the next thing she was aware of was the smell of Scooby Snax overcoming her nostrils and dampness on her face.

"Have you seen my glasses, Scooby?" she asked, trying to find her bearings still.

"Rhey're broken," he replied, dropping the glasses on her lap.

"I believe, from this day forth, I shall carry my spare glasses myself," she said dryly, delicately fingering the shattered lens.

Velma pushed herself up from the ground, biting back the screams of pain from her body. Her legs wobbled when she rose, but quickly regained her balance before stumbling backwards. Luckily, Scooby was one step ahead and quickly rushed behind to prevent her from falling completely.

"Thanks, Scooby."

She clenched her teeth in a bid to silence the hisses of pain that drew from her mouth when she placed a large amount of pressure on her right leg. Something had to be done about this, she decided. Feeling the warm blood seeping through her socks, she quickly tore the tattered collar of her jumper, and quickly wrapped it tightly over the wound.

"I wonder as to the depth of the fall," she speculated, looking above and around. A sigh escaped her lips and she swallowed her frustrations. During the daylight hours, she was able to distinguish general shapes and colours, however, with the lack of sunlight she was at a severe disadvantage at present.

As if sensing her discomfort with the situation, Scooby stepped forward and nuzzled her hand before gently taking the loop of the lead inside his mouth.

"Scooby, what are you doing?" Velma asked, curious.

The dog delicately tugged the lead.

"Scooby, you're a genius!" she exclaimed, delight filling her voice and she unclasped the dog lead from her skirt, instead fastening it securely around her wrist.

Scooby sniffed the air, trying to determine the best direction of home. Obviously, going up was out of the question, that much was certain. Going west would lead them too far out of the way and north was the daunting and menacing forest, which Scooby is more than happy to avoid. This inevitably left east, which would take them to the main road.

"Ris ray," he informed the woman as he slowly walked in the intended direction, giving her a running commentary of where to step and what to avoid.

* * *

The colourful van came to a soft halt, the engine being put to rest and the lights retiring for the night. The doors on both sides opened and all the occupiers left the vehicle.

"Home, sweet, home," laughed Daphne.

Seeing the illuminating light streaming from windows brought a great sense of comfort to Shaggy. He smiled absently as he proceeded to make his way to the front door, doing his usual routine that consisted of thrusting his hands in his pockets, whistling a ridiculous out of tune melody and using his left should to push open the door. However, next time, he would save himself the embarrassment by checking the front door before automatically assuming it to be unlocked.

"You okay, Shag?" Fred asked nonchalantly.

"Like, yeh, man. Next time I'll send ya a post card," he sniggered as he pushed himself up and brushed himself down, not that it made any difference to his attire. He dug into his pocket to gather a lone key with a green and blue owl cap and proceeded to unlock the door. "Hey, Scooby, Velma!" he shouted. "We're home!"

Expecting Scooby to be at the door already and Velma curled on the sofa, lost within a novel, Shaggy was shocked, to say in the least, when neither sight greeted him. He stepped further into the headquarters they all resisted in, looking around for any sign of his two friends. He pushed himself half over the breakfast bar to gain a better vision to the kitchen. "Scoob?"

"That's odd," Daphne commented, delicately placing her bag on the side and perching herself on the corner of the sofa. She swiftly flipped open her phone and pressed it to her ear.

An energetic melody presented by high pitched wind instrument chimed throughout the room, growing louder every second it was ignored. Shaggy investigated the noise, following the sound out of the living area. He was gone for approximately thirty seconds before yelling, "Found it!" and walking back to join the others, flaunting the small phone in his hand.

Heavy footsteps caused the stairs to creek as Fred walked down, hand tightly gripping the banister. "No sign of them upstairs."

"Like, where are they?"

Fred crossed his arms, his brows furrowing. "Looks like we have a mystery to solve then," he said quietly, barely a whisper.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Freddie," Daphne began, "because I think I've solved this mystery."

"Like, that was quick. Looks like you're giving Velma a run for her money, Daph." Shaggy laughed, flipping the phone in his hands and looking it over. It was an exuberant orange with deep red patterns on the back. The phone was much like Velma herself: small, reliable, tough as nails and warmly coloured.

"So?" Fred prompted.

"It's clearly obvious now. Both Velma and Scooby are missing ... and if you look near the door, so is the lead. They must have gone for a walk," Daphne concluded, a beaming smile lit her face and the glint in her eye betraying her absolute joy.

**To Be Continued...**

**Author Notes: **Thanks for the reviews, guys. They are much appreciated :) Funnily enough though, the lack of review does not bother me ... I just want to get this story out of my system before it frizzles for good.


	5. Part V

**Scooby Doo and the Beast of Barghest**

**Part V**

The sun had long since set and the sky was a formidable shade of midnight blue, black shaded clouds swayed around, moving swiftly through the sky, as if being blown by some great force. A brisk and light breeze suddenly began to pick up hastily, the howling noises echoing through the large trees, spreading throughout the immense forest. Tops of the trees swayed back and forth in a vicious manner.

Scooby's ears pricked, head elevated, as he came to a halt and looked around. His now wide and alert eyes scanned the surrounding area, stealing small glances at Velma, before focusing ahead of him. His nostrils flared open wide as a horrid smell met his scent receptors.

"Scooby, have you-"

"It's, rot re!" he snorted suddenly, shaking his head.

He sniffed the air again. It reminded his tremendously of the time Shaggy and himself were dragged away to solve a mystery, having no time to place the food back in the fridge first. It was the same putrid smell that tickled his scenes.

"It's sulphur," Velma concluded, scrunching her nose. "I wonder what caused this."

Many theories sprung to mind and she processed them inside her head, deducting which was likely to be correct. Sulphur was a key component in many fertilizers; however, it was also used in both insecticides and fungicides. The possibilities were inevitably endless.

A shrill chill shot through her spine and crawled down the rest of her body, twisting around every crevice and squeezing tightly, imprinting its cold impression on her flesh. It was like some otherworldly creature had ensnared her in its terrible and suffocating grasp, choking her, feeding off her body warmth. Like an invisible icicle had fallen from the great heavens and pierced her fleshy tissue, the hot blood flowing through her veins causing the ice to melt. Her blood ran cold. The glacial serpent coiled tightly around her unprotected body, squeezing every ounce of warmth from her frost tinted lips. She opened her mouth to scream, willing someone to come and rescue her from this nightmare, but no sound escaped her lips. Its grip tightened around her neck, desperate to rid her body of all warmth and life. Her eyes widened as she faced the beast, the same icicles that melted in her blood were now solidifying, piercing her feet and nailing her to the earth.

Orbs of burning fire penetrated her body. Tears swelled in the corners of her eyes and trailed down her cheeks, icing over before they escaped to the ground. They clouded her vision, but at the same time she saw perfectly clear. A gust of wind blew before her eyes and gathered clusters darkness, pulling them together until they created a malformed and distorted shape, the size of Scooby himself. It stood tall, fine fur blowing in the shrieking wind, eyes glowing as bright as burning embers and fangs as sharp as razors.

Velma stared, unable to tear her eyes away from the creature. It never crossed her mind to question what it was, nor the reasoning behind her perfect vision, despite her lack of glasses. Her mind was blank, her senses taut, and her blood was cold.

* * *

Daphne stared blankly at the screen on her phone, hoping that it would light up and she would hear Velma's voice on the other line, asking them to all meet her because she had found something mysterious. She would raise her voice when she replied to the bespectacled girl, but her eyes would be alight with joy and relief. However, the phone mocked her by remaining silent, the only change being the clock, which informed her that it was a quarter to three.

"That's it! I'm going to look for them," Fred said suddenly, jumping from his chair and fumbling for the keys. For hours he had pulled himself to pieces and placed the blame firmly on his own shoulders. Watching the hands of the clock only caused his fraught mind to worsen, imaging every worst case scenario. Velma was a sensible girl, he knew that. However, the younger woman also walked blindly into danger without any regards to her own safety if a mystery was involved. It was one of the contributing factors behind him insisting both girls remain with him. Daphne attracted danger like a moth to a flame, and Velma then ignored the danger and ran in without question, determined to solve the mystery that bemused her intelligent mind.

He was perfectly aware that, despite both being huge cowards, Shaggy and Scooby would jump through fire to keep the girls safe. Nevertheless, Fred preferred knowing for himself.

"Like, don't be ridiculous, Freddie," called a voice from outside.

Fred stared incredulous at the front door. "How am I being ridiculous, Shag?"

Shaggy laughed. "No need to shout, Fred. All I'm saying is that Velma will never get into the Mystery Machine with you at the wheel. Like, you know how finicky she gets – she'll smell that one drink you had at that club a mile off."

Fred stared. When had he started shouting anyway? "You're right, Shag," he sighed. "What do you propose we do then?"

Shaggy stepped through the door, a small, forced smile on his face. "Like, I give them fifteen minutes before I take the ol' girl out and look."

**To Be Continued...**

**Author Notes: **Thanks for the review, Russ. I'm actually finding it hard NOT to write this lol


	6. Part VI

**Scooby Doo and the Beast of Barghest**

**Part VI**

It was as if the world had stopped, and not in that overly clichéd romantic way either, as the beast bore into her soul with its burning eyes. Her body was void of warmth, yet there was no breeze. She was unable to move, yet her body was not paralyzed. Words could not be formed, which was impossible for Velma. She was trapped inside the flaming bubble, an imperfect world where fear consumed the heart and soul of everything, and she was the sole survivor.

A shrill snap was heard as a large black paw stood on top a tree branch, a sudden wind billowing through the thick, shaggy fur. The world was almost void of light and sound, but rustling echoed throughout Velma's ears. The birds that were nestled inside the trees began to chirp loudly, flapping wings to cover up the sounds. The beast walked forward, low case growls emerging from its loud mouth and its claws dug into the fleshy earth. Its sensitive ears began to twitch swiftly and the beast lifted its snout into the air and sniffed, the jaws opening slightly, as if it had smiled at the scent that tickled it.

Velma stared, almost transfixed by the sight before her. The sheer size of the beast did not faze her in the slightest, as she was used to Scooby nearly towering her. What did draw her in were the eyes of fire. The way they burned so bright and danced a baleful tango was hypnotic to say in the least.

It drew nearer. It was close enough that Velma could have reached out and touched its unkempt coat. A low growl echoed in her ears, causing her breath to hitch and her insides to curl. She felt, rather than saw, a large figure stand in her path, creating a barrier between her and the beast. The growl emitted again, which she recognised immediately. _Scooby..._

Scooby pressed close to her and swiftly elevated his head, causing Velma's hand to follow suit. She fondled the soft fur beneath her fingers, thankful for something safe to hold on to ... something familiar. She was drawn from her reverie briefly but could feel something plaguing the back of her mind. It was as if some dark mist was shrouding her judgement and clouding her vision. It was a sensation which she had never experienced before.

Scooby stared deep into the creature's eyes, firmly holding his ground against it. His fur was on edge and his ears pinned back. He was going for intimidating but was certain that the only look going for him at the present was goofy, at least compared to the great beast. Was he really to blame if he was gentle by nature and intimidation was a foreign concept to him? It was taking everything he had to stay and confront the beast when all he wanted to do was grab Velma and run as far as he could. Unfortunately for him, it seemed as though the female was rather intent on her stare-down. Why couldn't she be more like Shaggy? Everyone knows that when faced with a large monster with razor teeth and a putrid smell, hightailing it out of there, screaming, was the only solution. She had much to learn, he decided. If they survived, perhaps he and Shaggy could give her the '_Survival 101: An Introduction to Survival'_ course.

Scooby continued to watch the creature, eyes following its every move as it progressed forward. He bared his teeth completely, looking it straight in the eye – challenging it. Growling, Scooby slowly moved a paw and then the other, bending his hind legs as he prepared to pounce, should the moment arise.

The giant beast stopped dead in its tracks, the cold, howling wind billowing through its unruly mane. It surveyed Scooby slowly, observing the dog's defensive position, before taking one more step forward.

Velma froze. Trapped once again within the flaming eyes, she panicked. This was one situation she did not know the answer to. They say to calm a frantic shark is to push its nose gently, however, it didn't state what to do in the likelihood of confronting a huge black dog that was shrouded in shadow. Her mind was willing her to calm, to remain still and wait it out. Her heart was beating so loud in her ears that she held her breath to cease the noise. It was a silly and childish notion, she rationalised, but nevertheless, desperate times call for desperate measures. She wondered briefly whether this would invoke those images that are supposed to appear in the case of a near death experience. She didn't believe they actually happened so at least this devastating experience would bring about one theory at least - she was an optimist after all...

Her stomach churned as she watched the creature near her face. What once appeared to be blinding white teeth were actually yellowed and massively stained fangs. The coat that she assumed to be coarse, dry and shaggy was just that. A tightness etched its way around her neck and squeezed before moving its way further down and around her heart. Her throat burned. Her eyes watered. Her body ached. Panic flew up inside of her, a terrified sensation, as she felt the hot breath of the beast on the base of her neck and then the shape fangs graze her bare skin.

Velma sucked in a heavy breath of air as she felt the hand lift from her throat. The delightful breath was like eating the sweetest desert without constantly shielding it from Shaggy and Scooby. The darkness disappeared ... the beast ... was gone...

Her eyes shot wide and panic flared up as she felt a searing, agonising pain. A scream rolled off her tongue, her arm burning and a warm liquid seeped deep onto her woollen sweater. The jaws clenched tighter and tore her flesh.

The beast howled loudly when another creature pounced onto it, sharp teeth biting into the scruff of its neck. It swayed viciously, releasing Velma from its jaws, in attempt to throw the creature off. It managed to loosen the grip and watched as Scooby was thrown to the ground and bared his teeth.

Velma watched, horrified, as Scooby was pinned down and had to nip the beast's paw for his release. The large creature, which she could hardly see due to the increasing darkness, was howling and growling aloud for all the forest to hear. Its fangs, which seemed to be highlighted by what little light was present, showed it savagely attempt to tear at Scooby's throat.

She had to do something, she determined. It was, after all, her fault that Scooby was in this mess. Digging deep into the pockets of her sweater, she pulled out the first thing she fingered and threw it hard at the beast. Doubtful that her broken glasses would cause any harm to the beast, she briefly wondered how long it would take her to remove her shoes. Maybe luck would be on her side and the heel would lodge itself into its scalp, causing sever and instantaneous brain haemorrhaging.

"Or I could just kiss this life goodbye," she concurred as she watched the creature change its course of action – her!

Taking a fear-driven step backwards, she felt an invisible force push her. Feeling her body falling to the ground, the last thing she expected was to be enveloped in a pool of water.

"And here I was worried I'd be ripped to pieces. Whoever it is punishing me for being a meddling kid wants me to drown – Jinkies!"

It seemed rather fetching that her last words be the obscure phrase that became a constant part of her vocabulary at an early age.

"Relma!"

Had Scooby succumbed to the gnarly beast? Shaggy would be heartbroken and would never forgive her...

"Relma, rake up!"

Déjà vu or what? Perhaps her head had collided with a jagged rock in the pond and she was now trapped within her unconscious mind, forced to relive the tragic event over and over again...

"RELMA!"

Cold water splashed on her face, her eyes slowly fluttering open. Darkness clouded her vision but despite this, she could recognise the dark brown eyes of Scooby anywhere.

"Scoo...by?" she mustered.

The dog grinned as he circled Velma, water licking his paws. He looked around and sniffed the air before nudging the young girl lying in the pond.

"Where?" she asked, certain Scooby knew what her cryptic working meant.

"Ris gone," he said. "Ran aray and risappeared..."

Tears streamed down Velma's face as she stared at the sky and laughed loudly. It was one situation where one either laughs or cries. Thus, Velma opted for both...

**To Be Continued...**

**Author Notes:** I was going to end this shortly after the attack and leave it as a cliffhanger, however, I felt that it wouldn't have done this chapter justice - I like the way I ended it. I also wanted to give Scooby a bit of action because we all know how loyal he is to the gang!

Also, thanks to Audrey ... that was such a compliment. I'm very critical of my writing - even this piece - but hearing how you enjoyed it brought a huge smile to my face - thank you so much :)


	7. Part VII

**Part VII**

Shaggy stared upwards, unblinking, as he attempted to count all the stars he saw before thick clouds were blown across the sky, causing his count to drop back down to zero. It was obvious that his objective was futile, that counting all the stars was an impossible feat, however, his main goal was to distract his overactive and tired mind. Unfortunately, the idea was about as successful as counting sheep. Honestly, why would counting sheep cause you to drift off into a pleasant sleep? All it did was cause Shaggy to imagine all the woollen sheep as delicious balls of vanilla candy floss jumping over a chocolate fence.

"Scooby Doo, where on earth are you?" he sighed, shuffling uncomfortably on the roof of the Mystery Machine. He eased both arms behind his head as he lay down, bending his right leg. He tried to find the words to describe how he was feeling and the only thing that came to mind was lost. Without Scooby by his side, he was lost. Scooby was his best bud. They had been through so much together and now he felt utterly lost. Also, if that wasn't enough, Velma was gone too.

His eyes closed as he heaved a mighty sigh. The last time he had felt this way was on that fateful night where he was forced to watch his friends leave him and Scooby behind, turning their backs on all they had worked for. It pained him to see Daphne biting her cherry-glossed lips as she hastily rushed to her car. It bothered him when Fred huffed, nostrils flaring, as he stormed off angrily. It certainly tore him apart to witness Velma holding back tears as she said smiled sadly at him and Scooby before walking out of their lives for two years.

That was years ago. Now, everything had finally fallen into place and Mystery Inc. had their happy ending at last. However, they obviously could not live within the concealment of a safe bubble forever. No, a snivelling creature who goes (or went depending on the cause) by the name of Jonathan Jacobo had dug his claws in skin deep and ripped the bubble apart, like a savage beast toying with its prey before tearing it limb from limb. He pulled them all from the security of their lives and caused much self doubt within the hearts of the team, even going as far as to cause Scooby and himself to question their position within the group. So many negative emotions shrouded their judgement and also their common sense. Why else would the cowardice members rush headfirst into the lion's den without any thought about how much these creepaziods wanted to tear out their hair, gouge out their eyes, remove their heads and use the skulls as gothic chalices. The thought was truly chilling indeed.

"Shaggy?"

Staring deep at the twinkling lights, Shaggy took a breath before exhaling loudly. "Yeh?"

Daphne stood in the doorway, awkwardly twirling the delicate tresses of copper around a perfectly manicured finger. She lingered a moment, staring at the lanky teen that lay on top of the Mystery Machine. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn that he was away with the fairies.

"It's been fifteen minutes," she stated indifferently.

Fifteen minutes. Was that really how long she had spent staring at Fred? Watching the normally composed man pace feverishly across the longue, muttering harsh words of blame to himself, and generally being overly leaderish. It was truly heartbreaking and made her want to grab the man by his collar and roughly shake some sense into him. Did he not realise that this was affecting all of them?

"Like, for reals?"

"I want to go with you - to look for them!" she sputtered.

Closing his eyes, Shaggy shook his head. "No can do, Daph."

Under normal circumstances, Daphne's bemused expression would have brought about much conversation and longing to help ease the girl. However, now was not exactly what one would classify as 'normal circumstances'. Nerves had been frayed and minds were wound tighter than a spinning top. Now was certainly not the epiphany of normality.

"What!" Daphne screeched. She imagined that all those that assumed she was nothing more than a simple 'rich girl' would have perceived her exclamation as a cry of dominance and attention. Mystery Inc., however, were not normal people. Every person within the tight-nip group knew the others as well as they knew themselves. It was the same reason why Shaggy jumped from the van, landing with the grace of a collected dancer (he wasn't the swingiest gymnast in school for no reason, you know), and smiled knowingly at Daphne.

"You're needed here, Daphne," he told her softly, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Staring incredulous at Shaggy, the girl shook her head. "You don't understand – I can help look for them too."

Shaggy smiled softly, gently running his hand through her hair. Fingering the strands was like enveloping his hand in the finest silk known to man, adorned with luxurious cashmere wool.

"Daph, you need to be the strong one – WE need to be strong. Freddy is falling apart, blaming himself for something that was never within his grasp. He's falling apart. He always goes on a limb to save you, but this time, Daph, you need to be his crutch."

"I don't know how to be anyone's crutch, Shaggy," she sighed.

Shaggy laughed headedly, "Like, you've been it many times already, Daphne."

"I don't know," she mumbled, looking down as she draped her arms tightly around herself. "I don't think..."

The man slowly moved his hands from her hair to caress her face. He cupper her chin and gently directed her gaze to his eyes. He smiled toothily. "Like, you gotta trust me on this one, Daph. Velma and Freddy may be book smart, but we're people smart and don't need telling twice how to be there when we're needed. You say you don't know how, but, like, I know ... YOU know you're lying. You'll be here for Fred and I'll be there for Scooby and Velma, when I find them."

Daphne trembled and bit her lower lip before heaving a sigh and looking into Shaggy's warm eyes. "I take it that means no then?" she laughed gently.

"Like, major like."

The girl exhaled once again, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. "Bring them back ... okay?" she told him. Any ramifications were lost within the cheeky wink as she smiled and made her way back inside. She was needed.

The huge grin on Shaggy's face never faltered as he watched Daphne's change about. The last thing he (all of them really) needed was her to question her status.

"Looks like we've got a job to do, Old Girl," he said as he took his place in the driver's seat of the Mystery Machine and started the engine. Instantaneously, music blared from the speakers. He could help himself as he laughed at the music playing before swiftly shutting it off and driving off.

"Like, sorry, Johnny boy, but I don't need any help this time."

**To be continued...**

**Note:**

Ok, I apologize profoundly for the time it has taken to upload this chapter. I can honestly say that I have never had so much difficulty writing a character before. Velma, as stereotypical as I have tried NOT to make her, was easy to write in comparison to Shaggy. I wrote this ... then deleted it ... so did the same three times over before I found a calm place in the middle. I still don't think Shaggy is 100% to be honest, so I apologize again again for that.

Thanks for the reviews, guys! They are always appreciated ... and also, brownie points (or Scooby Snax for those fussy readers :p) if anyone can guess the song playing in the van.

Sorry lol.


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